The Musings Of An Insomniac
by xKumax
Summary: Night time at the Lair and it's no surprise that Leo's having a nightmare, Don's snoozing on his computer, Mikey's finding it hard to sleep in a popcorn bowl and Raph's grumbling even when he's unconcious. A bit of fluff that wouldn't leave me alone.


**Author's notes**- Karm and Theo are mine- the rest aren't.

If you're new to my crazy world, Karm's a girl ninja turtle, found in Stockman's lab and has found her way into the turtle's hearts and home. This is written from her point of view apart from the short part at the end. My ideas for my other stories have run off and left me with only this- I apologise profusely, haha.

The Musings Of An Insomniac

I blink back at the greyish blue ceiling, having been awake for so many hours now that I swear it blinks back. The grunts, snorts and whistles of Raph's breath aren't the only thing keeping me awake tonight.

Insomnia. That's what Donny said. I had him clarify that he said insomnia, not insanity; though the two share a thin spider-web line. All he could suggest was the usual, counting sheep, running around before bed, no TV, but unfortunately none of them work.

Finally accepting my fate of no sleep tonight, I crawl out from under the blankets bundled over my sleeping partner and I. He grumbles a little but shows no other signs of missing me. Raph's exactly the same when he's asleep to when he's awake: grumpy.

I tiptoe out of our room about to sneak downstairs when I hear mumbling from next door, the room of our eldest brother. Quietly, I nudge open the door and a streak of light dances over the bed opposite to the doorway, then to the blanket which hugs an obviously distressed turtle. Leo's face is contorted into a heavy frown and his deep brown eyes are firmly wrinkled closed. I can just about make out the fists full of blanket just below his chin and his shoulders huddled up. He grumbles something inaudible then twitches one of his feet, hanging out of the bottom of the bed. As I sneak in to tuck his foot back underneath the blankets, I catch one of his mumbled words.

"Karai… nrrgh…"

Sighing, I gently tuck the blue blanket around him and kiss his head, now the only thing visible in the huddle.

_'You even worry when you sleep. I wish there was something I could do for you big brother.'_

I creep out, closing the door behind me as if to keep anymore bad dreams from leaping in. Deciding to make sure Leo's the only restless sleeper, I make my way down to Donny's room and unsurprisingly don't find him there. I chuckle inwardly before hopping down the stairs; the quiet hum of the televisions are a good indication that Mikey's fallen asleep watching films. I leave the youngest until last, peeking into Donny's lab first.

_'Déjà vu, I've come downstairs to find him sprawled over a keyboard.'_

I go to shake his shoulder then glance at the screen, the information pulling my attention away.

**'Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both" and it may be due to inadequate quality or quantity of sleep. Insomnia is not defined by a specific number of hours of sleep that one gets, since individuals vary widely in their sleep needs and practices.'**

'_Donny…'_ I roll my eyes. _'I never told you to give yourself insomnia to cure mine…'_

Suddenly, the purple-banded turtle jerks in his sleep and wakes up, pulling himself from the desk and instinctively reaching for the stiff muscles in his shoulders.

"Hey Don." I say softly, trying not to startle him.

Disorientated, he turns back to my voice, "Karm…? Couldn't sleep?"

"Afraid not. C'mon, this can wait until morning."

I point at the screen and he flickers his eyes over it, nodding as he switches it off. Clumsily, Don untangles himself from the chair and desk and I pull him out from his lab.

"Now go to bed."

"What are you doing?"

"Getting Mikey to bed."

Sleepy brown eyes drift across to the softly snoring sofa. A sleepy smile takes over my tallest brother's face before he hugs me tightly.

"Night Karm, I hope you get some sleep soon."

"Me too. Nighty night."

I watch him stumble up the stairs, giggling to myself at the elbow pad around his wrist and the purple ninja mask balancing on the top of his bald, olive head.

_'I like it when he's asleep, he doesn't freak so much. Wide-awake Donny would have said _"You should be in bed, I told you to turn the bed north, I read somewhere that it might help but then in another place I read that you should turn the bed south-"_ and so on until I gave him coffee.'_

I latch my eyes onto my next target, the all too adorable and asleep Michelangelo. A thumb is safely tucked away in his mouth whilst he cradles an empty bowl of what was popcorn in his free arm. Smiling, I switch off the film, _Toy Story 2_, and retrieve a blanket for the sleeping turtle.

_'If anybody's harder and more dangerous to wake up than Raph, it's Mikey. He loves sleep almost as much as he loves food. I'd hate to think what he'd do to me if I took his food away. Well, only three family members left to check on, the furry ones.'_

I twist around to find the two cats in their normal sleeping place, the armchair, and as usual, find them tangled into a bundle of black and ginger like a messy Yin and Yang symbol. I move Theo's back leg from Klunk's jaw and nudge Klunk's tail away from Theo's nose.

_'Aww they smiled... Shit Karm, you're going crazy, **cats don't smile**.'_

Exasperated at the tiredness dragging my sanity away by its back legs, I rush over to the room of the soundest sleeping family member. As quietly as possible, I prod the door open to find Master Splinter curled up on his low bed tucked neatly into the corner. He sleeps with a peaceful expression and his tail slowly flicking like a ticking clock; the only thing in this house which never sleeps, other than me. Aware it's rapidly approaching 4 o clock, I make sure my master's tea set is prepared then sneak out once again.

Satisfied that everyone is safe and sound, I wander upstairs to crawl back into bed, not before kissing Raph's head and putting an extra blanket over him.

* * *

Third person narrative

Three turtles were already in the kitchen when Michelangelo came mooching in, an orange blanket trailing behind him which was trailing two prowling cats.

"Mornin' Mike." Raphael was the first to notice.

"Morning."

"Good morning."

"Morning." The youngest yawned back.

With a bowl of sugary cereal, he settled himself between Donatello, who was as usual cradling a purple cup, and Leonardo, who was reading the paper over Raphael's shoulder.

"C'mon Leo, lay off, yanno I hate that."

"I can't help you take too long to read."

"Only because he has to rant as he reads it."

"Yeah an' I can't help that this world ticks me off. Robbers an' muggers an-"

"Thanks Don, you've started him off." Leonardo rolled his eyes playfully.

"Ah, forgot it, have yer paper."

The bunched up newspaper was flung into the arms of the oldest and on the verge of exploding into fluttering sheets of paper but Leonardo expertly saved it.

"Rice ome Leo!"

"Mikey, don't talk with your mouth full."

Leonardo chuckled at the two youngest before lying back in the chair to read the newspaper. Meanwhile, two cats were bothering Raphael's legs as he perused the cupboards.

"I fed ya already, ya li'l hairballs."

"Ron't talk to 'Lunk 'ike 'at!"

"Mikey, what did I say two seconds ago?"

"Good morning my childr- sons." Master Splinter looked around puzzled, "May I ask where Karma is, Raphael?"

"Still in bed Sensei, she ain't slept."

"At all?"

"No, she was too busy making sure I slept."

"And me." Leonardo said, half concentrating.

"She turned off the TV for me last night."

"Meowww."

"An' she gave me an extra blanket, it was cold last night."

"Karma had come into my room and prepared my tea for this morning," The old rat mused.

At once, everybody in the room stopped, looking at each other thoughtfully then without any direction, they all rose and ascended the stairs. Michelangelo was still noisily chewing breakfast and the two cats tumbled up the stairs together but nobody spoke.

Once upstairs, the eldest turtle nudged the door open and all peered in. Karma was asleep but shivering under the single blanket she had. Her small body was bundled at the edge of the bed and her eyes were wrinkled closed. One of her feet was hanging over the edge of the bed and it seemed that she'd forgotten to take off the orange bracelet Michelangelo had given her for her 16th birthday as it had crept up towards her elbow. She grumbled a little in her sleep and gave a little soft snore.

Leonardo stepped in and tucked her foot back into the bed as Raphael covered her with another blanket. Donatello removed the bracelet from her elbow and Michelangelo took away the book, which was taking up more room on the pillow than Karma was. The two cats jumped up onto the bed and rubbed up against the girl turtle as her father brushed the hair from her eyes.

As they all started to leave, she woke up, blinking through cloudy blue and green eyes.

"Is it time for practice?"

"No daughter," Master Splinter smiled, "it is time for sleep. Good night."

"Night everyone."

With that, the only sister, the only daughter and the only girlfriend in the family closed her eyes, with a smile spread on her face and slept better than she'd slept in a long time.


End file.
